SC Senate votes to amend in-district expense for all lawmakers

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – The South Carolina senate voted to amend the budget, hoping to increase in-district expenses. In other words, this would essentially give lawmakers pay raises for money they are allowed to use towards legislative duties.

If approved by the Senate and House, it would increase the pay for lawmakers from $1,000 a month to $2,500 a month.

“I think we all know that we have been dealing with things in the budget to help people deal with inflation, and I think it’s time that we try to take care and make sure the people who are elected to serve as elected representatives maintain inflation and keep up with our expenses,” said the sponsor of the amendment, Senator Shane Martin (R – Spartanburg).

The amendment would allow for all 170 lawmakers, 124 Representatives and 46 Senators, to be paid $30,000 a year.

It would use an additional $3 million of taxpayer money each year.

Senator Matt Leber (R – Charleston) said it adjusts for inflation, saying that “soon you will have nothing but swampy elites and trial lawyers holding all these positions because they will be the only ones that can afford the opportunity cost. ”

But Senator Shane Massey (R – Edgefield), Majority Leader, said this is a bad idea. He said it is possible to make a clear argument that lawmakers should be paid more but it needs to go through a transparent process. He added that it shouldn’t be brought up on the senate floor during the budget debate.

“I think if you’re going to make that case to the public and say we deserve more compensation, there’s a better way to do it as opposed to the way that we did it. Well, I didn’t do it. I didn’t vote for it, and, I mean, I’m not going to vote for that type of process.”

He continued to say, “It’s not hard to get to $1,000 a month from an expenses perspective. And you can use that gas, in many situations. It’s depending on how big your district is, like my districts, five counties. I mean, it takes me 2.5 hours to get from one end to the other.”

The Senate voted 24 to 15 to amend the budget, however the pay increase is not set in stone. In a month, members of the House and Senate will discuss the pay increase amendment. as well as the senate’s proposed budget.